Wringer mechanism



May 10, 1938. N, ETTEN 2,116,755

WRINGER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l May lo, 1938. N ETTEN 2,116,755

WRINGER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eur.

Patented May 10, 1938 2,116,755 WRINGER MECHANISM Nicholas L. Etten, Waterloo, Iowa, assignor to Chamberlain Corporation, Waterloo, Iowa Application January 23, 1935, Serial No. 3,119

2 Claims.

This invention has reference to roll stop mechanism for roll wringers and has for one of its objects the provision of means whereby releasement of the working pressure between wringer 5 rolls brings about discontinuance of rotation of the rolls.

Another object is to provide mechanism cooperating between a member of the roll tensioning mechanism and the wringer driving mechal nism in such a manner that releasement of the tensioning mechanism results in disconnection of the roll driving means.

A further object is to provide a conventional roll wringer which may be used with increased if safety by reason of automatic stoppa e of the wringer rolls simultaneously with release of the tensioning means.

Other objects will appear in the following description and accompanying drawings in which- 20 Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of a wringer mechanism showing a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental side elevational view taken from line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

25 Fig. 3 is a side elevational view partly in section showing certain parts of the mechanism in released position, as will be referred to in the appended description;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmental side elevational 30 views showing a modified form of my invention as the same may be applied to roll wringer mechanisms of a form other than that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 as will be described.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 2 discloses the 35 end portion of a conventional roll wringer mechanism which includes a frame structure l0 having a releasable top member H, a tensioning spring l2 and upper and lower rolls l3 and I4.

The upper roll I3 is journaled as by the inverted bearing block l3 which is slidably supported in frame I0 and urged downwardly by spring [12. Lower roll 14 is journaled as by a bearing block it rockably supported in frame ill upon a pin Hi. It will be clear that with the frame ll disposed as in Fig. 2, spring 12 is available to force roll I3 downwardly and maintain pressure relation with roll M.

The lower roll Hi has its shaft l5 somewhat elongated and flattened as at l6 which flattened portion is adapted to be received in a mating opening formed in a splined member l'i.

The opposite end of member I1 is reduced to become a stud end l8 which is rotatably fitted 5 within an opening in a clutch coupling member l9 which latter has driving relationship with a power source not shown.

At its inner end, the splined member I! is provided with a collar portion which is journaled in a strap member 2| which is secured 5 to an outwardly extending bracket portion 22 of the frame l0. By means of this support spline I! is rotatably retained in proper alignment with wringer roll shaft l5.

Slidably mounted upon, and in keyed relation- 10 ship with, spline I1 is a clutch member 23 which has a continuous groove 23' about its periphery and teeth 24 extending from its right hand end. Obviously, teeth 24 are adapted to engage with mating teeth 25 formed in the member l9.

It will be apparent that sliding movement of clutch member 23 upon spline II will result in engagement or disengagement of the clutch teeth 24 and 25 to rotate roll M in unison withmember H) or to break the driving connection. 20

Fig. 2 will illustrate that the top frame II, in which spring l2 is assumed to be supported, is releasably secured to the upper end of frame ill by means of a latch member 26 engaged with a lip portion 21 of the top frame and retained 25 by a hook member 28 which is pivotally mounted thereon, at 29.

Hook 28 is provided with a handle portion 30 by means of which the hook may be moved to non-engaging position with latch 26 whereupon 30 the latch may no longer support frame I l against the upward pressure of spring l2. The resulting movement of the mechanism is shown in Fig. 3, wherein the top frame and upper roll are shown in elevated position resulting from relaxing movement of spring l2.

Referringagain to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that latch 26 is yoked and pivoted at 3! upon rivets secured in either side wall of frame ill. The side portions of the latch are provided with extending end portions 32 which are adapted to engage the upper ends of side portions 33 of a yoke member 34. Member 34 is pivotally mounted at 35 upon the bracket 22 and is normally urged to rotate thereon in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2,by a spring 36 confined upon a pin 31 secured in the end wall of frame W in engagement with a lower connecting portion 38.

An upper connecting portion 39 of this lever 59 carries an outwardly extending lip portion Ml which normally engages with the upper edge of a connecting portion ll of a yoke member 52.

Member 42 is so fashioned as to have lateral and upwardly extending side portions t3 by the clutch. Since spring 41 normally retains means of which it is pivoted at 35 similar to mem ber 35.

Fig. 2 illustrates that the fashioning of member 42 provides a recess id whereby members 3 3 and 42 may rock upon the pivot 35 independently of each other.

Member 42 carries downwardly extending portions 35 which in turn carry swivelly mounted blocks 46, the latter being slidably fitted in groove 23' of clutch member 23.

Reference to Fig.3 will indicate that clockwise pivotal movement of member 34 will bring about pressure of portion 40 thereof against portion 4! of member 42 to rock the same upon pivot 35 to bring about the described clutching movement of clutch member 23.

A coil spring d'l confined upon a pin 88 secured in connecting portion 39 of member 36 normally retains portions 45 and 60 in working contact.

To bring about the described pivotal movement of member 3%, means as follows is provided:

Roll wringer structure such as has been described conventionally includes devices for guiding the releasable top member, when the same has been released, whereby the released and substantially separated top member is more easily reassembled on the lower frame and further. such devices are utilized to limit the separating movement of the top frame relative to the lower frame.

Such devices are herein shown as comprising dual link members 89 disposed inside and adjacent either side of frame i8, depending from a pin 58 secured in the top frame and extending downwardly to a point adjacent the lower end of the lower frame.

At their lower ends the links are provided with angulated slots 5! which slidably fit over the pin III in such a manner that the links are free to slide vertically in the frame it] within the limits of the slots and whereby the top frame is free to move within this limit relative to the lower frame. A pin 52 secured in the links and passing through a slot 52' in bearing block I3 holds the links and block in assembled relationship. Slot 52' ohviously permits block l3 to-rise and fall responsively to movements of roll I3.

To each of the links, at a point somewhat above the upperends of slots 5| are secured rivets 53 which are adapted to be received in slotted openlugs 54 formed in the side members of yoke. 34.

The slots 54' are so fashioned. that when the mechanism is assembled as shown in Fig. 2, the rivets 53 occupy lower enlarged portions of the slots, the edges of which form a cam face engageable with the rivets to produce pivotal movement of member 34 when therivets move upwardly as carried by links 49 during upward movement thereof in unison with release movement of the top frame as described.

Fig. 3 illustrates the relative movement of the parts when release takes place wherein pin 53 during upward movement has cammed in slot 54 to force member 34 into the position shown to bring about lateral movement of clutch 23 out of engagement with clutch coupling. l9.

It will be noted that whenthe mechanism is assembled as in Fig. 2, the portion 32 of latch 26 engages portion 33 of member 34 whereby member 34 is prevented from operating to disengage member 42 in definite position relative to member 34. the portion 32" when in locked position is capable of retaining clutch elements 24 and 25 against unintended disengagement.

At the time of release, movement of latch 26 first takes place and portion 32 thereof is thus removed to allow functioning of the de-clutching mechanism as described.

Re-assembly of the parts after release is ac-' complished by replacing the top frame upon the lower frame l8, and rotating latch 26 into position shown in Fig. 2, whereby the rivets 53 are disposed in the enlarged portion of slot 54 and ply it to wringer mechanisms having forms otherthan that of the wringer above considered.

To illustrate practical application of the device to wringers of various typical forms, Figs. 4

and 5 show its application to a wringer mechanism having its tensioning means disposed in the lower part of its frame to operate upon the lower power driven roll.

Fig. 4 fragmentarily illustrates a wringer mechanism comprising a main frame iii, a side mechanism supporting structure H, a releasable top frame it and upper and'lower rolls I3 and i4.

Shaft 75 of the upper roll 13 is journaled in a bearing member 16 which issupported in a cradle member ii, the latter being pivotally supported upon a pin 18 which is supported in a bracket member 73 secured to the top frame 12.

Cradle member 71 has a downwardly and laterally extending portion 80 upon which is supported a spring 8!, the opposite end of which abuts bearing 16 to take up lost motion, due to wear. in the bearing mechanism. The cradle also carries a downwardly extending portion 82 which will be referred to shortly.

The shaft 83 of lower roll 14 is provided with a pin 84 which acts as a key disposed in slots 85 formed in a coupling member 86. I

The opposite end of member 86 is provided with a cavity 81 having slots formed in its side wall adapted to receive, in a loose manner, the keyed end of a splined coupling member 88.

The opposite end of member 88 is rotatably mounted in a coupling member 88 and the opposite end of the latter is adapted to receive the end of a driving shaft in driving relationship. The driving shaft is not shown.

The coupling member 86 is journaled upon a bearing block 90 which is slidably mounted in the frame structure 10 and is supported upon and urged upwardly by a compression spring 8| which is supported upon a bottom member of frame 18, not shown.

The foregoing will indicate that the upper roll 13 is stationarily supported in the top frame 12 and that lower roll 14 is resiliently supported to press against the upper roll by the spring 9|. It is assumed that the rolls are supported in a similar manner at their opposite ends.

It has already been noted that splined member 88 is rotatably supported in the coupler 89 and it is assumed that the coupler is secured to a' pow- .er drivenshaft by means of which it is constantly rotated.

that clutch member 88 may be slid to the left upon the spline to engage teeth 93 in dentures 92 to establish driving connection between coupler and lower roll M, or in the opposite direction to disengage the clutching parts.

Clutch member 94 is provided with a continuous flange about its periphery, which flange is slidably received in grooved blocks 96 disposed on opposite sides of the clutch member. The latter are swivelly mounted in depending portions 9! of a yoke member 98 which is pivotally mounted at 99 upon a pin supported by brackets Hi0 secured to the frame structure II.

Also pivoted at 99 is a yoke member IOI having at its lower end an inwardly extending portion I02 adapted to be engaged by the portion 02 of member II.

The upper connecting portion of member 98 has a laterally extending portion I03 which is normally held in contact with an adjacent angulated portion I00 of member IOI by means of springs I05 and.i06.

Spring I05 is confined upon a pin I01 which loosely passes through connecting portion I03 of member 98 and is secured in the connecting portion I00 of member IOI.

Spring I06 is confined upon a pin I08 which has its head imbedded in a rib portion I09 of structure II.

With the foregoing in mind, it will be clear that spring I05 abuts portion I03 while the head of pin I01 by which it is confined presses against the under side of portion I 04, thus urging portions I03 and I04 into abutment at their outer ends and holding members 98 and IOI in position relative to each other.

movement is prevented by abutment of portion I02 of member IOI with portion 02 of member 11.

In Fig. 5 are shown the parts just described, in-released position, wherein the top frame I2 has been released from the lower frame 10 and the contact pressure between the wringer rolls has been relieved. As a result of the upward movement of the pper frame, portion 02 has been removed from abutment with portion I02, thus allowing spring I00 to move the mechanism to disengage the driving connection of the lower roll I4.

In the above described manner, release movement of the upper frame and roll automatically brings about disconnection of the lower roll driving means.

Release mechanism for the top frame is not herein shown or described as such mechanisms are thought to be sufliciently conventional to obviate description.

What I claim is:

1. In a clothes wringer, a lower frame, a top frame movable with respect to the lower frame, cooperating rolls mounted in the frames, pressure mechanism for the rolls reacting between the frames and tending to separate the same, releasable means for holding the frames together, driving mechanism for the rolls including a clutch element shiftable between a driving position and an idle position, and means for shifting said element to said idle position upon separation of the top frame from the lower frame, said means comprising a pair of interconnected levers having a common fulcrum fixed with respect to the lower frame, one of said levers having an end engaging said clutch element, and the, other lever having an end engaging a part movable in response to the separation of said top frame from the lower frame, and means for imparting rocking movement in one direction to the last mentioned lever upon movement of said part, the interconnection of said levers comprising abutting surfaces arranged to transmit positively said rocking movement of the last mentioned lever to the first mentioned one to cause the end thereof engaging said clutch element to shift the latter to .idle position.

2. In a clothes wringer, a lower frame, a top frame movable with respect to the lower frame. cooperating rolls mounted in the frames, pressure mechanism for the rolls reacting between the frames and tending to separate the same,

safety release mechanism for holding the frames together against the reaction of said pressure mechanism, driving mechanism for the rolls including a clutch element shiftable between a driving position and an idle position, and means for shifting said element to said idle position upon actuation of said safety release mechanism to separate the top frame from the lower frame, said safety release mechanism comprising a latch member pivoted on said lower frame and having an upper portion releasably engaging the top frame and a lower portion movable in response to releasing movement of the upper portion, said clutch shifting means comprising lever mechanism pivoted to the lower frame and having a part engaging said clutch element and another of the latch member to release position.

mcnon'as L. ETIEN. 

